Bucket for sewer cleaning



May 4, 1965 c. A. TRUMAN BUCKET FOR SEWER CLEANING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1963 INVENTOR. CHESTER A. TRUMAN M ATTY6.

May 4, 1965 c. A. TRUMAN BUCKET FOR SEWER CLEANING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1963 ATTY5.

May 4, 1965 c. A. TRUMAN BUCKET FOR SEWER CLEANING 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 22, 1965 INVENTOR. CHE5 TER A. TRUMAN 24w ATTYS.

May 4, 1965 Filed March 22, 1963 C. A. TRUMAN BUCKET FOR SEWER CLEANING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q Q Q N m m a =1 0 INVENTOR. CHESTER A. TRUMAN ATTYs.

United States Patent 3,181,192 BUCKET FUR SEWER CLEANING Chester A. Truman, W. 2523 Garland, Spokane, Wash. Fiied Mar. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 267,215 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-4043) This invention relates to a novel bucket of the type utilized in the cleaning of underground sewer pipes.

It is a common practice in the maintenance and cleaning of sewers to utilize a clam shell type bucket which is pulled along the sewer in an open position to engage and receive the debris or obstruction in the line, and is then pulled in the opposite direction to remove the debris engaged thereby. Such buckets comprise a main body built to complement the pipe in which it is to be received, and hinged closures at one or both ends, which are adapted to be closed when pulled from a direction opposite to the closure being operated. With present buckets, capacity is reduced by the operating mechanisms which are commonly located at the exterior of the bucket. In some instances buckets have been proposed using chains and inside bales. However, these mechanisms obstruct the interior of the bucket and minimize its effectiveness.

It is a first object of this invention to provide a novel bucket construction whereby the operating mechanism is located entirely within the bucket but does not obstruct the interior of the bucket to thereby pose problems as to the normal bucket operation. As a result of this construction, the present invention greatly increases the capacity of a bucket operating within a given line diameter, by increasing both the outside and inside diameters of the bucket that can be received therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bucket assembly which may be manufactured with a rigid body for normal straight line operation, but might also be manufactured with a flexible body to accommodate curved pipes and to increase the effective length of a bucket which can be drawn through a given manhole.

These and further objects will be evident from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate two preferred embodiments of the instant invention. These examples are not intended to limit or restrict the scope of the invention, which is defined in the claims following this disclosure.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken through a first embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exterior view of the bucket shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the same bucket in its closed position received within a conventional pipe;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the bucket as seen in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the closed bucket, looking toward the open end thereof;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the closed bucket looking toward the closed end thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View taken along line 7--7 in FIGURE 3, showing the bale in its relaxed position;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, showing a modified form of the invention in a length of curved pipe; and

FIGURE 9 is a top view of the bucket seen in FIG- URE 8, the jaws being in their open position.

In the following disclosure, the normal open end of the bucket when filled shall be termed the rear end thereof, and motion leading from this end shall be termed rearward motion. Conversely the opposite or closable end of the bucket shall be termed the front end and motion in this direction shall be designated as forward motion.

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The present bucket contemplates a cylindrical body It which, in the first embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 through '7, is a rigid unit. The body It) has an open rear end 11 and a modified open forward end 12. Extending along the body 10 are reenforcing runners 13 fixed thereto so as to better guide the body 10 along the walls of the pipe within which it is received. The runners 13 converge slightly at their rearward ends so as to prevent the bucket from catching on joints or seams in the pipe.

At the modified open end 12 of the body It) are mounted two jaws or closures 15. Each closure 15 is complementary to the other and to the opening at the end 12 of the body It). The jaws 15 are formed as shown in the drawings, so that when open, the jaws 15 form substantially longitudinal extensions of the walls of the body ll). When in the closed position shown in FIGURE 3, jaws 15 present a substantially closed structure, engaging one another and the body Iii to seal the rear end of the bucket. Each of the jaws 15 is pivotally mounted on the body 10 by means of a hinge 16. The two hinges '16 are diametrically apart so that the jaws 15 turn about parallel axes. Each jaw 15 includes an outer edge 1'7 which is the leading edge of the bucket when moved in a forward direction and which seals with the opposite jaw to close the end 12 of the body It The jaws 15 are reenforced by bars 14 welded to the outer surface thereof so as to reenforce the jaws and guide them along the pipe surfaces.

The jaws or closures 15 are manipulated by a pair of sliding bars 18 which are located adjacent the interior surface or body 10 and extend beyond the full length thereof. The bars 18 are pivoted at 20 to each jaw 15. Thus each jaw 15 is pivoted adjacent its outer edge 17 by the two bars 18 so that longitudinal movement of the bars 18 will result in the opening or closing of jaws 15. Motion of the bars 18 relative to the body 10 is limited by front stops 21 and rear stops 22 which are adapted to abut the fixed guides 20 mounted on the interior of the body 10.

The bars 18 are pivotally connected to front and rear bales 23 and 25 respectively. These bales are located outwardly of the body 10 and provide a hinged connection to a cable attached to the two ends of the bucket. The front cable connection is designated by the numeral 24 while the rear cable connection is designated by the numeral 26.

The primary feature of this invention is the increased capacity of the bucket which is achieved by mounting the operating mechanism adjacent the interior surface of body 10. As can be seen in FIGURES 3 and 7, the ex terior circumference of body Elli can very closely approximate the interior diameter of a pipe 27 to be cleaned thereby. In actual practice, the capacity of the bucket can be increased from 35% to over the load that can be handled by a conventional bucket with the operating mechanism at the exterior thereof. As a concrete example, a conventional bucket for a six inch diameter pipe has an outside diameter of 4% inches and a bale spread of 5% inches. Its capacity with a length of 27 inches is approximately .13 cubic feet. A bucket manufactured according to the instant invention for use in six inch diameter pipe can have a bucket diameter of 5 /8 inches, which is equal to the bale spread. Thus, in a bucket having a length of 27 inches, the capacity is approximately .25 cubic feet, almost double the capacity of the conventional bucket. While this exceptional improvement varies in proportion to the diameter of the pipe, substantial increases in bucket capacity are available in every size of conventional sewer pipe.

The operation of this device is very simple, and analagous to the operation of prior buckets. As seen in FIGURE 3, the bucket is pulled to the left with the jaws in an open position (FIGURE 1) until the debris or obstruction is contained within the body It). The direction of pull on the bucket is then reversed to the right in FIGURE 3, and the sliding action of bar 18 will close the jaws 15 so that the debris and bucket can be carried from the pipe 27 through a manhole. The bar 18 is provided with stops 21 and 22 at each end of the body 10 so that the pulling action on the body 10 will be transmitted throughout the body 10, and the forces thereon will not be localized.

A second example of this invention is illustrated in FIGURE 8. Here the body of the bucket is flexible and is designed for greater length and maneuverability. The body comprises a front solid section 28, and a rear solid section 30, having relatively short lengths compared to the total length of the bucket. Joining the two sections 28 and 30 is a longitudinal coil section 31 which provides a substantially closed container capable of being flexed from a straight longitudinal position.

The front section 30 is provided with jaws '15 identical to those disclosed above. No further description of the jaws 15 is deemed necessary.

The jaws 15 are operated by means of a cable 32 or other flexible connector joining the two ends of the bucket between a front sliding bar 34 and a rear sliding bar 35 which are respectively mounted on the front and rear sections 28 and 30. Each of the bars 34 and 35 has a front stop 36 and a rear stop 37. Bars 34 are pivotally connected to jaws 1 5 as described above. Thus the pulling action on the flexible cable 32 will be transmitted through the two rear stops 36 to guides 33 on both the front sections 28 and rear section 30 when the bucket is pulled to the left as seen in FIGURE 8. Also the force on the cable 32 will be transmitted to both the front and rear sections 28 and 30 when the bucket is pulled to the right. Thus the distance between the front and rear sections 28 and 30 will remain substantially constant due to the connection of cable 32, and the load within the bucket will not tend to elongate the coil material of the section 31.

The flexible bucket shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 has two advantages over present buckets. It has the advantage of greater capacity for the same reason as pointed out with regard to the prior embodiment. It also allows the use of a bucket having longer length than is feasible with a rigid body. The limiting factor as to the length of the rigid bucket is the width of the manhole through which it must be lifted. The bucket must pass around a roller in the bottom of the manhole and must clear the far side of the manhole as it is being returned to a vertical position. By utilizing a flexible bucket structure, it is possible to clear the side of the manhole with a bucket of much longer length, since it can wrap about the pulley and bend so as to accommodate the manhole size.

Various modifications may be evident to one skilled in this field after a study of the above disclosures. For this reason it is intended that equivalent structures and elements be included within the scope of the claims set out below, which attempt to define this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A bucket for cleaning sewers, comprising:

a flexible body of generally cylindrical cross section having an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the sewer to be cleaned therey;

a pair of clam-type closures pivotally connected to opposite sides of one end of said body and extending outwardly therefrom, said closures being complementary to one another and to said body whereby they form longitudinal extensions of the body when in an open position and seal said one end of said body when pivoted relatively to said body to a closed position;

a pair of flexible movable elements slidably mounted by said body for longitudinal movement relative thereto, said elements being operatively connected to said closures and adapted to selectively shift said closures between said open position and said closed position responsive to longitudinal movement of said elements relative to said body.

2. A bucket for cleaning sewers, comprising:

a cylindrical body having two open ends, the outside diameter of the body being slightly less than the interior diameter of the sewer to be cleaned thereby, said body being formed as a flexible unit to enable it to bend from a normal longitudinal position;

a pair of pivoted closures hingedly connected to said body at one open end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom;

means slidably mounted adjacent the interior walls of said body and operatively connected to said closures for pivoting said closures relative to said body;

and bale means connected to said last-named means,

said bale means being located outwardly of the remaining open end of said body.

. A bucket for cleaning sewers, comprising:

a body of generally cylindrical cross section having an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the sewer to be cleaned thereby;

a pair of clam-type closures pivotally connected to opposite sides of one end of said body and extending outwardly therefrom, said closures being complementary to one another and to said body whereby they form longitudinal extensions of the body when in an open position and seal said one end of said body when pivoted relatively to said body to a closed position;

a pair of movable elements slidably mounted by said body adjacent the interior surfaces thereof for longitudinal movement relative thereto along the interior surfaces thereof, said elements being angular-1y offset by about the central longitudinal axis of the body relative to the closure hinges; each of said elements being pivotally connected to both of said closures adjacent the outer edges thereof;

means operatively connected to said elements adapted to transmit thereto a pulling motion in a direction opposite to said closures; and

said body comprising a flexible unit, said elements being flexible so as to enable both said body and said elements to conform to the longitudinal configuration of the sewer to be cleaned thereby.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,313,378 8/19 Healey 15-l04.3 2,454,008 11/48 Robinson 15--104.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,052,742 9/53 France. 1,233,077 5/60 France.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BUCKET FOR CLEANING SEWERS, COMPRISING: A FLEXIBLE BODY OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CROSS SECTION HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE SEWER TO BE CLEANED THEREBY; A PAIR OF CLAM-TYPE CLOSURES PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF ONE END OF SAID BODY AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID CLOSURES BEING COMPLEMENTARY TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO SAID BODY WHEREBY THEY FORM LONGITUDINAL EXTENSIONS OF THE BODY WHEN IN AN OPEN POSITION AND SEAL SAID ONE END OF SAID BODY WHEN PIVOTED RELATIVELY TO SAID BODY TO A CLOSED POSITION; A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE MOVABLE ELEMENTS SLIDABLY MOUNTED BY SAID BODY FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID ELEMENTS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CLOSURES AND ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY SHIFT SAID CLOSURES BETWEEN SAID OPEN POSITION AND SAID CLOSED POSITION RESPONSIVE TO LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENTS RELATIVE TO SAID BODY. 